The present invention relates to the field of clamping devices and particularly to the field of clamping devices used to clamp and secure tensile implements. The invention is a device designed to facilitate the gripping and clamping of a tensile implement without damage to the tensile implement so that the tensile implement may be placed in tension.
Humans have long utilized tensile implements for pulling, fastening, attaching, lifting, and carrying other objects. Early tensile implements may have been simple plant fibers such as vines or vines twisted together. Eventually, humans developed various types of tensile implements such as ropes, wires, cords, cables, chains, and wire ropes. Such tensile implements have been made from any number of naturally occurring fibers, polymers, metals, metal alloys, and other composites materials.
Modern tensile implements are frequently utilized to drive cranes, elevators, rope ways, and mining equipment. They may be utilized in tension for support of bridges, towers, and other elongate structures. In short, tensile implements have broad utility in the industrial world.
Despite their broad utility for carrying large tension via a small diameter elongate implement, tensile implements do have a few limitations. For instance, tensile implements are often made of multi-ply material such as braided rope or braided wire rope or cable. When the multi-ply material is cut or otherwise comes to an end point, there is often a tendency for the rope to fray or to otherwise become unbraided. Thus, there is a need in the art for a device that reduces the incidence of multi-ply tensile implement fray.
Where tensile implements are utilized in fixed, permanent positions, the ropes may be permanently secured via potted ends, poured sockets, eye splices, Flemish eyes, ferrules and the like. However, some of these forms of fixing an end may damage a cable and, in any event, they “fix” the point at which tension may be applied to an end point of the cable. Such a fixation may be problematic in situations where it is desirable to apply tension at different intermediate points along a tensile implement, such as at a midpoint of a wire rope. Thus, there is a need in the art for a clamping device that is not limited to the end of a tensile implement but may positioned, as desired along the length of the tensile implement.
Further, as many tensile implements are made of metal, bending, and repeatedly bending upon frequent use, may damage the metal through metal fatigue. Similarly, some prior art clamping devices may permanently damage a tensile implement when a clamp is applied. The clamp may bend, puncture, or dent the tensile implement thereby reducing its effectiveness when placed in tension. Such action may also prevent the clamped portion from being placed in tension in the future. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a clamping device that does not permanently damage the tensile implement when applied.
A further issue in the art relates to portability and adaptability of the clamping devices. Whereas some tensile implements may be utilized in a fixed location for a singular purpose, it is often the case that tensile implements are used and transported for use in repeated and different applications. As such, clamping devices may be needed in different locations for a particular tensile implement. For instance, a tensile implement may be used as part of a crane to lift material on one day and then used the next day to extract mining equipment from a mine. Or, it may be used to extract mining equipment from a mine on one day and from a different mine on another day. What is more, different applications often require different sizes and types of tensile implements. For instance, a tensile implement of one diameter may be used to extract mining equipment at a job site. At the same job site, a different tensile implement of a second diameter may be utilized in lifting ore which was mined. There exists a need in the art for a clamping device that may be utilized in both applications without the need for a second clamping device.